Car-lift.



0. v; GREENE.

GAR LIFT.

APPmoATmN FILED AUG. 22. 1907.

WL m 1E !H 3 L pm AW d w H w a P llll 'i 1n: NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c

O. V. GREENE.

ma LIFT. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1907.

918,313. Patented A r. 13. 1909.

2 8EEBTS-S BEET 2.

4519 (v/(awe y n. c. v THE mmms PETERS 0a., wAsHmc'rcN a'rnnir OSCAR V. GREENE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR TO FRANK O. GREENE, OF CLEVELAND,

OHIO.

CAR-LIFT Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Application filed August 22, 1907. Serial No. 389,637.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR V. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful improvement in Car-Lifts, of which the followingis a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained. and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention relates to car handling mechanism, particularly to mechanism for handling cars at the bottom of shafts in coal mines or like situations. T he general function of the mechanism in hand is to place the loaded cars onto the cage at the foot of the shaft and to discharge the empty cars from such cage onto the mine tracks.

The particular type of car lifting mechanism to which the present invention appertains is that illustrated in a copending application filed b J Frank O. Greene, July 8, 1907, Serial No. 382,602.

The object of the present invention is to so modify the construction of such lift referred to as to avoid the necessity of the pivotally mounted track section projecting, during the course of its elevation or depression, within the line of the shaft wall. This must obviously be the case wherever the outer end of such track section is secured to a fixed pivotal axis as has been the prevailing construction heretofore, inasmuch as in the lower position of the track section it must extend at least flush with the wall of the shaft in order to register with the cage track and any movement from this position will cause the end in question to project as stated, the wall forming a chord of the arc of oscillation of such track-section.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing object said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an approved form of my improved car lift as installed at the foot of a shaft; Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same together with a portion of the cage operating in such shaft, such cage being shown in its final operative position with respect to the lift mechanism; Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner in which the outer end of the pivoted track section is supported and a is a detail showing a modification in the manner of said support.

While, as will be evident from inspection of the drawings, particularly Fig. 1, the lift mechanism here chosen for the purpose of illustration is designed for use in connection with a shaft in which are operated two cages side by side, it will be understood that the application of my invention is not limited to this particular type of lift. In other words, it may be employed with equally satisfactory results wnere but a single cage is used and also in connection with types of operating mechanism differing from that here shown, such illustrated mechanism being peculiarly adapted for use with the double shaft referred to. Noting but briefly such operating mechanism and other general features of the lifting mechanism, the same will be seen to comprise two traclcsections B B of substantially the form sh own in Fig. 2, disposed side by side with their inner ends abutting on the shaft adjacent to the paths of travel of the respective cages A therein. Of the latter but one appears, Fig. 2, since only one will at any one time be positioned at the foot of the shaft. The cage chosen for illustrative purposes furthermore happens to be of the double deck type, but this has no signiflcance so far as this invention is concerned. It is the manner of supporting the outer ends of the track-sections B B, as has been indicated, that constitutes the matter of present interest and will be adverted to more in detail later. The inner ends of the track-sections extend between two sets of vertical guide ways b respectively, Fig. 1, disposed adjacent to the shaft. Between each of such sets of guide-ways is mounted a transverse bar B to which such inner track section ends are pivotally attached. In the upper part of the framework B in which said guide-ways l) are mounted, are supported three sheaves b b b of which one is disposed substantially over each of the non-adjacent ends of the said bars, the other above the adjacent ends of the same. Passing over said first two sheaves b b and connecting such two nonadjacent ends of the bars B is a cable 6 and similarly passing over the intermediate sheave b and connecting the adjacent ends of the bars is a second cable I), the length of such cables being so arranged that depression of the one bar effects the elevation of the other. Despite such alternate elevation and depression of the bars it will be evident that the inner ends of the tions will at no time into the shaft by to said bars preventing any longitudinal movement of the track-sections with respect thereto.

Depression of the respective bars and corresponding tract-section ends in the particular mechanism in hand is designed to be effected by engagement with the bars of the corresponding cage A as it descends the shaft. To this end each bar B is provided with projections 6 Figs. 2 and 3, extending into the shaft opening, and on its contiguous side each cage bears a catch member a resiliently mounted in brackets a adapted, on downward movement of the cage, to contact with such projections. Descent of the cage in one of the shafts by engaging with the projections aforesaid will be effective not only to depress the corresponding track-section B, but also, by reason of the connection of the latter with the other bar through the cable means described above, will positively effect the elevation of the other track-section. The empty car from the cage is designed to be discharged onto the track-section depressed thereby as the cage descends, such empty car being moved off said track-section upon its subsequent elevation as the other cage in turn descends. To permit the respective track-sections to have the movement of translation that is obviously incidental to their oscillation, in view of their inner ends being attached to bars B, it becomes necessary to provide for longitudinal movement of the outer ends. To this end I dispose a shaft B transversely of the respective outer track-section ends, such shaft being journaled in suitable bearings b as shown, Fig. 3, and assing through longitudinally extending slbts b formed near the ends of the rails of the track-section. Mounted upon said shaft are rollers 6 that provide a fLxed roll ing support for the flanges b of the channel bars, that in the case in hand are utilized as rails for the track section. From this construction it will be seen that such outer end of the track-section is free to move longitudinally as its inner end is raised and lowered. Inasmuch as it is only when in the upper position of the inner end that the rear end requires to register accurately with the discharge track upon which the empty cars are received, ample lee-way for the movement in question is provided. Should it be desired, however, to preserve at all times a close connection between the rails of the track section extend there beyond respective track-sec virtue of their attachment and those of the mine track 0, the construction just described can be modified in the manner shown in Fig. 4, which may, for that matter, be also found the preferable form for other reasons. The feature of a fixed pivotal axis, which, for various reasons, is desirable, is still retained. In place, however, of having the track-section end movable upon the support constituting such axis, said track-section is made of extensible form so that the longitudinal movement referred to as being incident to the oscillation of the track section is thus taken up. Merely a sliding bearing between the main rail of the track-section and the auxiliary telescoping rail 1) is shown but obviously any suitable form of roller bearing may be substituted if desired. The auxiliary rail 6 is pivotally mounted upon a fixed support 6 just as is the'outer end of the main rail, where the inner end of-the tracksection is left free as has been the practice heretofore.

Whichever of the two forms of support, shown for the outer track-section end, may be adopted, it is clear that the construction as a whole possess numerous advantages over the earlier form of car lift, chief among which of course is the elimination of the necessity for the inner end of such track-section to project within the shaft-wall as it is alternately depressed and elevated. The operation of the mechanism is also rendered easier, for in the prevailing construction the free ends of the track-section have to slide in and out with almost the entire weight of the ear resting thereon. The increased friction thus produced not only renders operation more difficult but has a tendency to rack the supports wherein are mounted slide members B.

n the present construction the movement in question is accomplished at the end of the track-section farthest removed from the weight and upon a support as solid as the mine floor itself. The particular constructions shown for this support, it should furthermore be added, have been designed with a view to protect the actual moving parts as far as possible from interference by reason of rock and dirt getting therein and interfering with the working of the lift.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change eing made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, pro-v vided the means stated by any one of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a track section, of means for raising and lowering one end thereof, the other end. of said track-section being both longitudinally and oscil-latorily movable with respect to a fixed axis.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a vertically movable member, of atraclr-section supported at one end thereon and held against longitudinal movement with respect thereto, the other end of said track-section being both longitudinally and oscillatorily movable with respect to a fixed axis.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a track-section supported at one end thereon and held against longitudinal movement with respect thereto, and a fixed support about which the other end of said track-section is both longitudinally and oscillatorily movable.

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a track-section supported at one end thereon and held against longitudinal movement with respect thereto, and a fixed roller for movably sustaining the other end of said track-section.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a fixed pivotal support, and a tracksection supported at its ends upon said member and support, respectively, said tracksection being held against longitudinal movement with respect to the former, and being freely so movable with respect to the latter.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a vertically movable member, of a track-section pivotally attached at one end thereto, the other end of said track-section being longitudinally and oscillatorily movable with respect to afixed axis.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a track-section pivotally attached at one end thereto, and a fixed support for movably sustaining the other end of said track-section.

8. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a track-section pivotally attached at one end to said member, and a fixed roller for movably sustaining the other end of said track-section.

9. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a vertically movable member, a fixed pivotal support, and a tracksection pivotally attached at one end to said member and having its other end freely longitudinally movable with respect to said fixed pivotal support.

10. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with two vertically movable members connected so that depression of the one positively elevates the other, and vice versa, of two track-sections respectively pivotally attached at one end to said members, the other ends of said track-sections being free to move longitudinally.

11. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with two vertically movable members connected so that the depression of the one positively elevates the other, and vice versa, of two track-sections respectively pivotally attached at one end to said members, the other ends of said track-sections being both longitudinally and oscillatorily movable with respect to a fixed axis.

12; In mechanism of the class described, the combination of two vertically movable members connected so that depression of the one positively effects elevation of the other, and vice versa, two track-sections respectively pivotally attached at one end to said member, and fixed supports for movably sustaining the other ends of each of said tracksections, respectively.

13. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of two vertically movable members connected so that depression of the one positively eiIects elevation of the other, and vice versa, two track-sections respectively pivotally attached at one end to said member, and fixed rollers for movably sustaining the other ends of said track-section respectively.

14. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of two vertically movable members connected so that depression of the one positively elevates the other, and vice versa, a fixed pivotal support in connection with each of said members, and a track-section pivotally attached at one end to each of said members and having its other end freely longitudinally movable with respect to said fixed pivotal support.

Signed by me this 13th day of August, 1907.

OSCAR V. GREENE.

Attested by E. R. Rom), JNo. F. OBERLIN. 

